In The Arms Of The Light
by Sexi Lexi 720
Summary: During HBP, slightly AU. Hermione catches Draco in the bathroom pressing a knife to his chest....implied DHr.


Draco Malfoy stood leaning against the door in the boys bathroom. His face had that look of a Imperio'd person...blank, unreadable. It was broad daylight -- contradicting rays of sunshine sprayed a gold blanket onto the room. There was not a living soul except his own in this room. He should do it, and fast. He had always hoped not to take a cowards escape, to die with not shame but pride. Pride from all the power and glory and acheievements he had done. Hoped to prove his father wrong; show him that he was not a failure, that he could reach his fathers high expectations---perhaps even exccede them. Draco had expected more of himself. But he could not be proud now, nor would father be --- but Lucius was never proud in the first place. And yet --- there was something joyous.

Something happy.

After all, it wouldnt be so bad. He would have moved on, and away from his unwanted fate that his father had enrolled him to before he was even born. He was reffering, of course, to his destiny as a Death Eater. He once heard Severus cry himself to sleep after return from a Death Eater meeting while he stayed at Spinners End. He did not want to end up like him. He did not want a fate of servitude. He had even had a taste of it himself this year --- it consumed him in agony. He despised it, he wanted the pain gone. And to think this wouldve only been the beginning of his eternal subjection. Hell no, he wasnt gonna stay here to take it all.

He had said goodbye to nobody.

Nobody would have cared.

Do it. Now.

Taking a deep breath, Draco walked over to the area of floor where the sunlight from the window hit brightest and fell to his knees. This was the closest he could get to dying in the arms of the Light. He pulled a dagger Severus had once given him as a christmas present, a snake carved twisted around its handle. He put the very tip of it to his heart. Closing his eyes, he braced himself for the pain, but it never came. Instead, his hand seemed to be stuck..and why had it suddenly turned warm?

"What the fuck are you doing?"

Draco opened his eyes and it was met with sparkiling audburn eyes. Hermione Granger was looking at him with a most confused, shocked, and slightly disgusted expression on her face.

"Don't touch me mudblood!" Draco yelled, struggling to wretch his hand away from hers. But she refused to release him.

"What were you doing?"

"None of your buissiness mudblood, now let go!"

"Not until you tell me!"

"No!"

"Malfoy!"

Draco looked absolutely furious. It was almost scary, how closely he resembled his father when Lucius could not retrieve the prophecy. Dracos other hand tried to go for his wand, but Hermione caught that hand too. Now both his hand were in hers, he was powerless.

"This is a boys bathroom, Granger! Well on second thought.." Draco sneered, eyeing her, "you look like one enough."

Hermione flushed angrily. And seeing as Draco was in a rather odd kneeing position, as was she, she was able to knee him in the nuts fairly hard. Draco yelped. Hermione had a flicker of a smirk before she looked serious again.

"Malfoy, whatever sick Death Eater occult practices your attempting I want to know!"

"Do you hear your bloody self? Yes, Granger I'd tell you exactly what I'm doing because I'd love to turn myself in because we all know what jolly fun that Azkaban is!"

Hermione growled, and what she did next, Draco did not expect. In but one mere second, Hermione had her face so close to his, he could've sworn their noses were touching. He started to struggle again, which was difficult because of her firm grip on both his hands. Her eyes...very pretty eyes...seemed fixated onto his icy ones, unblinking. Her lips began to fall into a pout. And suddenly, he realized what she was doing. He looked away quickly.

"My aunt taught me occlumency! It won't work!" he yelled.

But to his extreme surprise, he felt her hands losen their grip on his. He looked back to her. She stared at him.

How long they kneeled there, basked in the brightest bit of light, staring at each other..he did know, and he was partly relieved when she started speaking again.

"Killing yourself won't do shit Malfoy.." Hermione said in a hushed voice. Her hands were on her lap now.

"What did you see?" he seethed.

"Everything."

"Stay out of it mudblood."

"You don't want this." And randomly, or maybe not so, she smiled. "I've always suspected that about you. I'm glad to know I was right."

"Glad?" Draco hushed his voice as well. "I'd love to enjoy this! I don't much like pain Granger, forgive me if you do---"

"It just means --- that your more of a bastard than a murderer. Thats always a good thing. I can help you if you want. Dumbledore can help you. Your a slimy git...but You Know Who is back...I'll do it for the sake of the Light."

"He'll kill me.." Draco began panting heavily, he looked as though he were about to panick, "he'll kill mother...he'll kill everyone!"

"You'll just have to trust us."

"How can I trust anyone, anymore?" Now he was shouting.

"Malfoy calm down! Look, I'm sorry about whats happened to you...I guess I underestimated your strength in character...I'm sorry." She placed a gentle hand on one of his, it was startiling that he did not pull away, "It'll be okay. I can save you."

Draco just took a deep breath, and he nodded. She stood up first, helped him up off the ground and with her, he walked away, leaving the dagger dusty on the ground. They walked out of the room, and into the world.

It was a long time before another sound could have been heard in the room. Moaning Myrtle's tears were silent. And she floated in the darkest corner of the boys bathroom, still watching the spot where Hermione and Draco had earlier knelt. Her heart shattered yet again by a broken promise...

"Don't cry Myrtle," Draco had said, "I detest my life too...if your willing to wait...I promise I'll come back. And I'll kill myself. And return as a ghost. And we can be together in death...where no one can hurt us. No one can hurt us."


End file.
